A deadly shooting outside the CDC headquarters in Atlanta left a police officer and the suspected gunman dead Friday. The suspect claimed the COVID-19 vaccine caused his depression and suicidal thoughts.
🔍 What Happened: Police say 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White tried to enter the CDC campus but was stopped by security. He then crossed the street to a pharmacy and opened fire.
- Officer David Rose of DeKalb County was killed in the exchange.
- White, armed with multiple firearms, died on the second floor of a nearby building that housed a CVS Pharmacy.
🚨 Why It Matters: This wasn’t random gun violence. It targeted a federal public health agency and left staff, families, and local residents shaken. The shooting is fueling renewed calls for action against vaccine misinformation and for better protection of scientists.
⚠️ Between the Lines: CDC buildings were damaged by gunfire. CDC staff and 90 children in an on-site school, sheltered in place for hours.
- The union representing CDC employees says misinformation is endangering scientists.
- They’re calling for a public statement from federal health officials condemning false vaccine claims and for tighter site security.
⏳ Catch Up: White’s father alerted police that his son could be the shooter. Neighbors say White had fixated on anti-vaccine beliefs in recent months.
🌎 The Big Picture: This attack comes amid growing hostility toward public health institutions, often fueled by disinformation. It follows another high-profile shooting in Georgia earlier this week, adding to law enforcement concerns about targeted violence in the state.
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Before You Dismiss This Article…
We live in a time when information feels overwhelming, but here’s what hasn’t changed: facts exist whether they comfort us or not.
When A&W launched their third-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder in the 1980s, it failed spectacularly. Not because it tasted worse, but because customers thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If basic math can trip us up, imagine how easily we can misread complex news.
The press isn’t against you when it reports something you don’t want to hear. Reporters are thermometers, not the fever itself. They’re telling you what verified sources are saying, not taking sides. Good reporting should challenge you — that’s literally the job.
Next time a story makes you angry, pause. Ask yourself: What evidence backs this up? Am I reacting with my brain or my gut? What would actually change my mind? And most importantly, am I assuming bias just because the story doesn’t match what I hoped to hear.
Smart readers choose verified information over their own comfort zone.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
